Unholy Trinity
by deangirl22
Summary: [OT3: The brothers share mutual affection for a childhood sweetheart.] A pair of assassins have targeted the MacManus men, and by extension, Joyce Piers. The best way to ensure Joy's safety, is to bring her along until Murphy and Connor can eliminate the crime boss who ordered the hit. [Warnings: Fluff, foul language, violence, and smut.]
1. Prologue

**PROLOGUE**

It was Sunday, God's day, but apparently God wanted this Sunday to be cloudy, thought an indignant eleven year old by the name of Joyce Piers. Her deep brown eyes traveled down from the sky to the approaching form of Mrs. MacManus, her gaze automatically locking onto Mrs. MacManus's sons who were walking on either side of her. Connor and Murphy, the unidentical twins. They were a year older than her, and flaunted it continuously. Their was also the minor fact that they had saved her life after a car accident with her parents, had left Joyce in need of a blood transfusion. Joyce's mother liked to call them her "angelic boyfriends", Joyce preferred to call them "savior pests", especially after their stint at her birthday party just last week. Her eyes narrowed into a leer as they came to a stop a few feet in front of her. Their blue-gray eyes lightened as they silently laughed in response to Joyce's glower.

"How are ya?" Mrs. MacManus warmly greeted Ms. Piers. Despite the rivalry with Connor and Murphy, Joyce had always been fond of their mother.  
"Fine-fine, still recovering from Joy's birthday...no thanks to your boys." Ms Piers responded with a friendly laugh.  
"Aye, did you expect anything less from my hooligans?" Mrs. M asked, yanking lovingly on Murphy's ear.  
"No of course not." Ms Piers answered with a small smile as Connor forcefully nudged his mother, allowing Murphy to squirm free.

"'Sides they only did it cause they're sweet on Joy." Mrs. MacManus finished causing immediate outbursts from her sons.

Equally aghast, Joyce cried out to the adults. "No they aren't!"

"Aye, if anythin' she's the one sweet on us!" Murphy agreed, pointing luridly at the brunette.

"Yeah," Connor agreed brazenly. "Kissed me the minute she thought I had died drownin'."

"I was giving you CPR.." Joyce stated with a glower.

"A likely story." Connor smirked.

"Yeah, not buyin' it." Murphy said, mirroring his brother's smugness.

"Well that isn't happening again." Joyce swore sourly, leering at the twins.

"Oh please, who you kiddin'? You loved it Joy!" Connor retorted.

"No I didn't!" Joyce protested, stomping her foot.

"Yah ya did, that's why the minute you found out he was alive ya kissed me too." Murphy agreed.

"YOU kissed ME!" Joyce corrected angrily.

The youngsters continued to argue, much to the amusement of their parents.

"As I said, sweet on her." Mrs. MacManus murmured to Ms. Piers.

"Still..all that silly string." Ms. Piers sighed, her smile slightly forced. "Shall we?" she asked, gesturing at the church entrance.  
"We shall." said Mrs. MacManus, following Ms Piers as she herded a still bickering Joyce up the stairs.

As usual, the Piers sat in the first row while the MacManuses sat in the second. The minute the morning prayer ended, Connor and Murphy hopped the row and took their places on either side of Joyce, fussing with her shoulder-length hair as all three of them sat down. Joyce shooed their hands away, her stomach swimming with annoyance, not knowing that her mother and their mother smiled at each other knowingly before turning their attention on the priest.

* * *

"Alright. You ruffins ready to go home?" Mrs. MacManus asked her sons once the sermon was over. They exchanged looks.  
"Actually Ma," Connor began. "We were hopin' to stay behind."  
"What?" she asked sharply.  
Murphy spoke up: "It's just that Joyce is staying to light church candles for her Da, its his birthday today...or woulda been."

"Joy needs company Ma." Connor added.

"Why didnt Romana tell me?" Mrs. MacManus muttered crossly, her eyes glued on Ms. Piers and her daughter. "Fine boys, do what ya like but no fighting over her, not today. And not outside the bedroom - the only time a gal ever wants to be caught between two men is in the bedroom!" she finished shaking a finger at them.  
"Maaaa..." they both complained, breaking eye contact.  
"Remember that! Now go." she urged waving her hands in a shooing matter. "Ramona! Let's go to the pub!" she declared.

Watching their mother partially drag Ms. Piers out of church, the twins lurked behind a pillar alongside Joyce. "Can a gal be between two men in a bedroom?" Connor asked aloud. "I mean can a gal sex two blokes at once? Should be possible right?"

Murphy's brow tightened in confusion. "I reckon..yeah..." he stammered. "Must be possible, why else would mother say that?"

"To fuck with us o course." Connor replied crossing his arms defiantly.

"Got a point...but if it is true...than we'd never have to fight over her..." Murphy mused, slowly glancing from Joy to his brother.  
Connor's gaze remained stuck on her for a moment. "We're getting ahead of ourselves. She still has cooties remember?" Connor said with a shrug.  
"Cooties?" Murphy repeated, scrunching his face.  
"Remember? We kissed her then we were sick the next day?"  
"Ma said we ate too much cake.."  
"Then she said 'or maybe it was the COOTIEEEESSS'. Werent ya listenin'?" Connor chided.  
"Oh yeah. Well smart thinkin'! Gotta wait for those to go away." Murphy agreed, returning his attention to Joy.  
Connor nodded, hands on his hips as he stared at her too. "..Just hope we dont have to wait long.." he added.  
"...Yeah...feels like they shoulda faded a while ago..." Murphy murmured.  
"Mmm..tricky things those cooties." Connor sighed.  
Their eyes both focused on a man in a blue ballcap walking up the aisle. Pants were black, t-shirt an off-white.  
"Who's that fella?" Murphy wondered.  
"Dunno." Connor mumbled. The brothers instinctively concealed themselves behind the pillar as the stranger walked right up to Joy, who was now kneeling to light every candle spread out before her. The man spoke to Joy with a large smile on his face, his words hushed but not quiet enough. "Wants her to go home with 'im to help with somethin'? Man's a perv!" Connor hissed.

Shaking her head as Joy got to her feet, the man suddenly grabbed her arm.

"LET GO OF 'ER." the brothers snarled, Murphy walked into view with balled fists while Connor grabbed a nearby candle stand and waved it at the stranger like a sword.

The stranged released Joy, using that hand to lower the cap over his face more, his other hand reached into his pocket and pulled out a switchblade. In a blink of an eye he had stabbed Joy in the abdomen, Connor lurched at him with the iron-made candle holder, the curved footing of the stand connecting with the pervert's shoulders. The perv fell face-first with a loud thump that echoed through the church. Murphy held Joy in his lap, his hands pressed firmly against her stab wound.

"She alright?" Connor asked urgently.

"I dunno...she's passed out!" Murphy replied, his voice rigid with worry.

Fury itched within Connor, propelling him to kick the pervert in the face. "I'll get help - keep her alive Murph!" Connor instructed, running off.

"Yea-yea, hurry!" Murphy called. His sparkling blue-green eyes gazed down at Joyce apprehensively. "Gonna save you again Joy, you'll see..." he muttered, attempting to reassure himself. Murphy's attention snapped onto the pervert, whose limp form had began to stir. Murphy spotted the switchblade, a few inches away and swiftly reached for it. Shifting Joyce onto the floor, Murphy pressed one palm against her bleeding abdomen, and used his other hand to slice the blade against one of the stranger's exposed ankles. "The fuck you think you're goin'?" Murphy snarled, over the agonizing scream of the pervert.

* * *

A persistant beeping sound phased Joyce into conciousness. The first thing her bleary eyes saw was the MacManus twins standing at the foot of her hostipal bed. Words sloppily bubbled from Joyce's lips. "What happened?"

Hands in his pockets, Murphy spoke first. "We saved you again didnt we? Just like I said we would."

"Gettin' right tiresome." Connor added, crossing his arms. "Savin' you from a car, is far easier than rescuing you from some kiddie-grabing bloke." Joyce's cheeks slowly radiated. "Aye now you remember." Connor noted.

"A thanks is in order isn't it?" Murphy pressed.

"T-Thanks? He might not have hurt me if you two hadnt shown up." Joy said defiantly. Murphy scoffed and was about to say something when Connor held a hand up.

"But we were the ones to carry ya to the hostipal. You were bleedin' bad, couldnt wait for an ambulance." Connor replied.

"A likely story...Thanks." Joy murmured. Murphy cocked his head, cupping a hand around his ear as he stepped to the side of the bed. Joy's eyes narrowed. "THANKS Savior Pests." she said loudly.

"Better." Murphy said, then scooped Joyce into a kiss.

"Think she's diggin' ya Murph. Took longer to push ya away this time." Connor noted as a chuckling Murphy retreated from a flustered Joy.

"I'm weak!" Joy whined.

"Right." Connor murmured, backing towards the door.

"Arent you gonna get in on her?" Murph asked, nodding at the bed-ridden girl.

"Later. No fun if she sees it comin'." Connor answered.

"I hate you both!" Joy called after them. Connor saluated then blew a kiss as Murph walked out ahead of him.

Their mother was waiting outside, with an unlit cigeratte between her fingers. "There ya are. Big damn heroes." she greeted. "Not even thirteen years old and already paralyzed a pervert! I'm damn proud of ya." Her sons exchanged a smug look. Mrs. MacManus sighed, reluctant to continue. "Unfortunately Ramona is already talkin' about shippin' herself and Joy someplace else." Mrs. MacManus said, raising the cig to her lips and causing a passing nurse to tap on her the shoulder as a reminder.

"What?!" the brothers cried. As if on cue, Ms. Piers was spotted at the end of the hallway, hugging herself feebly. They ran up to her. "Ms. P say it isnt true." Murphy pled. "Ms. P. ya cant move away!" Connor whimpered. "We'll take care of Joy!" they said together firmly.

Ms. Piers touched their heads lovingly. "Oh boys. I dont doubt it...but I've already started making arrangements."

Both boys moaned in disappointment. "Noooo..."

"I'm no more happier than you about it. But it happened at church. At church!" and with that Ms. Piers broke into a wail that sent Mrs. MacManus straight to her side.

* * *

"Hey. Savior Pests!" Joyce called, maneuvering towards the McManus brothers through a junkyard.

"Shouldn't you be packin'?" retorted Connor, pointing at her with an idle monkey-wrench .

"More important question," Murphy began, rising out of his hunched state. "What the hell's in the box? A goodbye gift?"

"Well..sort of...Mother bought it for you for Christmas...but she wanted me to give it to you now because..." Joyce trailed off, a wave of sadness crushing into her. True, she had never felt she belonged in Ireland because she didn't speak like the other children, but it was still her home. Joyce hated that she was leaving it so suddenly.

Tossing the wrench aside, Connor plucked the box from her grasp. Raising it to his ear, he shook it, and a faint rattle could be heard from within. "Just open the damn thing!" an impatient Murphy blurted, reaching for it.

"Alright-alright!" Connor said, turning slightly to prevent his brother from snagging it away. He tore away the packing tape and undid the box. Inside was a smaller, slender, black-plastic box surrounded by mailing peanuts. "You dunno what it is?" he asked Joyce, as he scooped his palm into the box.

"No." Joyce admitted as Connor dropped the mailing box to the ground. After exchanging a brief look, the brothers tweaked open the lid and each pulled out a rosary-cross.

"Would ya look at that?" Connor hummed, holding the rosary with one finger so that the cross dangled.

"This is awesome." Murphy replied, who was holding his by the cross before slipping it over his head. "Tell ya Ma thanks."

"Aye." Connor agreed, putting his on too. "So is this the last time we'll be seeing ya Joy?"

Joyce looped her hair behind her ear. "Probably.." she said softly.

"Good." Connor replied, pocketing his hands.

"Good?" repeated Murphy and Joyce.

"Better this way. Now you'll always be wondering to yourself 'whatever happened to those cute McManus boys?"...a never-ending mystery. Gals love that sorta thing right? They seem to in movies.." Connor explained.

"Ugh you and your films." Murphy scoffed rolling his eyes.

"I don't like mysteries and I never said you were cute." Joyce said.

"Didn't have to, we can tell by how red you get whenever we go near ya." Murphy retorted.

"I-I dont...that's..." Joyce began.

"And then there's the stuttering, like ya doing right now...always happens before or after ya start to blush." Connor pitched in.

"I-I..." Joyce stammered.

"Blushing." both brothers noted with subtle smirks.

"ARGH!" Joyce cried, spinning on her heel and marching in the opposite direction.

"Oi!" Connor called. "You're supposed to kiss us goodbye before you leave forever!"

"That's the last thing you have to say to us Joy? "ARGH!"? You a cavewoman or somethin'?" Murphy added.

Joyce did want to turn around, she wanted to hug the brothers and never let go. They were her best friends, her only friends if she was being honest with herself. But she didn't stop walking, she didn't breathe another word. She did however, glance back to memorize their faces. The insufferable twins that had saved her life twice.

* * *

Years passed before the MacManus brothers came to the United States. They spent their first day in a stuffed cargo-trolly on a train to Boston/Brooklyn, with their crosses constantly swaying back-and-forth like a pendolum. Smoke rose up between the brothers, and Murphy stared at his brother in disapproval as Connor began choking on his cig. "What?" Connor wheezed, patting his chest to clear the coughs building up.

"Why ya smokin' again? Thought you were just tryin' to look cool in front of the blokes..." Murph began.

"I am cool." Connor interrupted. "Which of us has seen Predator 15 times eh?"

"I've seen Alien 18 times." Murphy countered.

"Alien's shit."

"Predator's rubbish!"

"So..." Connor turned his attention to his cigarette case. "Were ya feeling left out or are ya still Ma's Nancy Boy?" he asked, offering him a cig.

Murphy hesitated momentarily, then snagged the cig and rummaged in his pockets for his matchbox. "You still think about Joy?" he wondered as he struck the match against against the floor.

"Course I do...and I guarantee she still thinks about us too." Connor replied.

After coughing softly, Murphy drew in a long breath. "How many times do I have to tell ya - real life don't work like films?!"

"You dont know that Murph!" Connor argued.

"Like hell we dont! Still no sign of Godzilla is there?"

"That's it. I'm shutting you up. C'm here!"

The boys struggled for a minute or so before releasing each other with huffs and brotherly leers. Rubbing his head, Murphy asked. "Reckon we can find her?" he asked mutely, taking a drag.

Connor didn't meet his gaze. "Aye. Someday. Bit soon to let the mystery thaw now though...best focus on ourselves..." he answered.


	2. Chapter 1

The alarm clock screamed shrilly through the cluttered bedroom of Joyce Piers, as if it were searching for a friend among the rubble of discarded jeans and hoodies that littered the surrounding bureau. Joyce's palm collided with the off-switch and she pushed herself up into a sitting position. Her fingers clawed through the messy brown strands of her hair. Stifling a yawn, she grudgingly got up; picking her comb off the nightstand, she delicately raked it through her hair as she entered the bathroom. After brushing her teeth, she studied her reflection with a small scowl, cursing herself for agreeing to brunch instead of dinner. Her brown eyes met the silver ones of her orange and black cat, lounging on the windowsill. "Think I should blow him off Dixie?" she asked the feline. The cat merely blinked in response. Her gaze shifted to the window, an odd reflection catching her eye, a set of intruders dressed in black with ski-masks.

"We have something for you to blow..." one of them said in a burly drawl, though neither were burly. .

Joyce swallowed a scream, numbly aware that she was merely dressed in a tanktop and her undies. They each withdrew a gun. "Turn around." the other said gruffly. "And move away from the window.." Joyce remained stationary, drawing in a shaky breath. "I ain't messing with ya! I'll shoot your kneecaps out, I'm good at that.." he promised.

With her heart, hammering against her ribcage, Joyce slowly faced them. "That'd a gurl.." the burly-voiced one cooed. "Now get on those pearly knees of yours before we decide to lodge a bullet in them.."

"...No..." Joyce murmured. The intruders exchanged a quick glance, before the burly-voiced one stepped forward and grabbed her by the hair. She stared up into his forest-green eyes as undauntingly as she could and a small part of her, thought they looked familiar. "No." she repeated firmly.

"We're not playin' around here, lassie," said the gruff one, swaggering forward. His sparkling blue-green eyes also looked familiar.

"We ain't." agreed the burly-voiced one, resting the barrel of his gun against her chin. "Now open, your mouth, give us a kiss first aye." he ordered.

Deciding she could merely chomp off his dick if they forced her on her knees, Joyce complied. The next second, his tongue was down her throat, sloshing hungrily against the inside of her mouth. Joyce took this opportunity to knee him in the groin. The other intruder raised his gun to her face and pulled the trigger. Joyce shrieked but only a white flag popped out at her with the red word "BANG!" boldly written on it. Joyce panted in disbelief, assuming that he had shot her in the head, and her subconscious was painting a less terrifying image as she slipped into death. A minute that felt like a lifetime passed, and the intruder that shot her, began to laugh. The other one, doubled over in pain, also managed to chuckle. Joyce was frozen, her thoughts completely at a standstill. The one she had kneed in the groin, straightened-up with a groan. "That anyway to greet an 'ld friend gorgeous?" he asked, taking off the skimask. Joyce stared at the sandy-haired face of Connor McManus.

"I must say Joy," Murphy McManus began, sliding his mask free of his blackish-brown hair. "You're bringin' a whole new meaning to "hard to get"..."

"I told ya she'd be feisty didn't I?"

"Aye, that's some willpower she has but you paid the price."

"So I did." Connor mused, studying her. "You gonna say anything or are ya gonna keep standing there gawking at us?"

"MacManus?" Joyce said slowly.

"Mm you miss us?" Murphy asked, stepping closer. Instinctively Joyce pushed him away, then stepped closer and started slapping at his shoulders and chest. "Ow-c'mon Joy take a joke would y-ow!" he said staggering backwards.

His words stopped her flurry, and ignited her fury. "A JOKE?!" she repeated shrilly. "You thought this was funny?!"

"It was funny." Connor told her. "But for the record, the next time you go between my legs, buy me a drink first eh?"

Murphy giggled and Joyce smacked his arm. "Ow! Oi." he protested grabbing her wrist. "Enough of that...I'm beginning to think you have some pent-up aggression beautiful.." he said, his eyes combing her body.

With her cheeks blazing, Joyce yanked free of his grasp. "I haven't seen you two for almost 18 years an-and then you show up and d-do this to me?!" she stammered.

"And after all this time, you're still sweet on us," Connor noted. "See, you should start listening to me more often Murph. Here I am right again."

Connor and Murphy had grown up handsome, a small fact that made Joyce grit her teeth, and run her fingers through her hair. "What in God's name would possess you two to show up here and..." she was cut off by Murphy's lips merging with hers, his hands cupping seamlessly around her face. Her palms meekly pushed at his midriff but he subtly deepened the kiss. Her foot connected with his ankle and she broke free. "ARGH I could just slap you!" she bellowed, putting distance between herself and Murphy.

"There you go "ARGH"ing again..." Connor sighed, shaking his head. "That was the last thing you said to us you know.."

Joyce inhaled through her mouth, trying to calm her nerves. "Yes. I remember..." she said, avoiding eye contact.

"Which was a shit thing to do." Murphy put in.

"Is that why you broke into my home with gag guns and ski-masks? You wanted an apology?" Joyce asked skeptically.

"That'd be nice but no." Connor said crossing his arms. "We just want you safe."

"Safe from what?" Joyce pressed.

"Assassins." Murphy answered.

"Some mastermind put out a contract on us...trying to do us in before we take down his entire operation no doubt." Connor mused.

"What are you talking about?" Joyce asked.

"Remember the pervert that went after you? The one we paralyzed? We didn't stop there." Murphy answered. "We're vigilantes Joy, and darn proud of it."

Joyce's gaze flew between the two for a moment as she comprehended that. "...Alright...say I believe you..." she began.

"We ever lie to you?!" Connor snapped in offense.

Joyce ignored him, finishing her line of thought. "What makes you think these assassins would come after me?"

"That blood transfusion when we were what 7 and 8, left a paper trail...it'd only be a matter of time before someone decided to pay you a visit." Connor explained.

"And it didn't occur to you, that by coming here you marked me as a target indefinitely?" Joyce asked with a repressed sigh.

"Aye we did figure that...which is why you're coming with us." Murphy replied.

Joyce's eyebrows jumped. "What?" she blurted.

"No arguing Joy. Pack a suitcase and let's go." Connor said.

"No I can argue and I will. You two can't just show up here and-..." Joyce trailed off as her doorbell rang. "Fuck. Dave." she muttered to herself, brushing past them.

"Dave?" echoed the brothers.

Slipping into pajama bottoms, Joyce informed. "I had a date set-up, if you must know."

Connor glanced at the clock. "At this hour?"

"Talk about Nancy Boy.." Murphy said.

"Don't just..don't okay?" Joyce responded, scurrying out of her bedroom.

She lived in a small apartment, it only took several steps to pass by her kitchen and reach the door. Just as she swung it open, Connor called. "So you're not virginal anymore then?"

Joyce's horror-strucken eyes met Dave's, a man taller than her with sandy gelled hair, lush lips and clear green eyes. "Um hi." he greeted with a soft chuckle.

Joyce grimaced slightly. "Hi. I'm sorry, two friends just stopped by from out of town and they're..."

"Men." Dave interrupted.

"...Yes but..."

"Say no more..Until next time Joyce."

Joyce's eyebrows knitted together as she watched Dave disappear with a polite smile. "Wha-wait...!" she stammered.

"It's okay Joy, tend to your out-of-towners. I'll see you around." Dave said over his shoulder as he strolled down the hall.

Murphy's voice caused Joyce's heart to jumpstart. "Reckon he's an assassin?"

"Could be." Connor murmured.

Joyce hushed them back inside the safety of her apartment. "You can't be serious.." she dismissed.

"Depends, has he always acted like that?" Connor inquired, tilting his head at the door.

"How long have you known 'im?" Murphy asked, pocketing his hands.

"That's none of your concern." Joyce decided, crossing her arms.

"Everything's our concern now dont ya get that?" Connor retorted.

"Do you really expect me to let you two whisk me away on your little vendetta? I'm not a "vigilante", I'm a college girl!" Joyce responded.

"...Yeah.." Murphy said softly. "You're our gurl. And we're not going to let anything happen to you."

Joyce's heart smiled, if such a thing was possible. Joyce released the rest of her arguments in a sigh, knowing they would be futile, the brothers had already made up their mind. "..How long?" she murmured.

"How long what?" Connor asked.

"How long will it take to kill these assassins and their ringleader?"

"Dunno. Could take months..it's a pretty vast operation he has goin',"

"Fine. Stay here...try not to poke around..." Joyce requested.

"Scouts honor." Murphy smiled.

"Neither of you were scouts." Joyce replied.

"Doesn't mean we can't respect their code of honor now does it?" Connor challenged.

Joyce hastily cleaned her room, lugged her suitcase out from beneath her bed and began filling it. She packed clothes haphazardly, mostly jeans, two pairs of skirts, some capris, and relatively modest shirts. She also sneaked in her MP3, her portable playstation, and her favorite novel by Tanith Lee. The last thing she had to do, was decide which hoodie she'd bring, since her suitcase could only hold one. As she debated, her house phone began to ring. Joyce ignored it, her focus drawn to Dixie. "Crap...what am I going to do about you?" she muttered to the cat.

"What the cat? Bring 'er along!" Connor said, startling Joyce. She gave the duo, who were situated in her bedroom doorway, a curt look. "What? You said not to poke around, you didn't say we couldn't watch you.."

"Aye. Speaking of, will you try out the blue skirt with the black v-neck for us?" Murphy requested, lighting a cigarette.

"No." Joyce said shortly, trying not to smile.

"Please?" both begged.

"No!" Joyce insisted as her answering machine finally activated.

"Joyce?" said an unfamiliar female voice. "Joyce Piers? If you're there, pick up, it's about your mother..."

Without a second thought, Joyce plucked the phone off its receiver. "Hello?" she greeted.

"Joyce Piers."

"Yes...who is this? Is my mother alright?"

"You can call me Kat..." Kat said, her voice static yet uncaring. "It's short for Katana..and your mother, well she's feeling a little light-headed...from the bloodloss if I had to guess, she's bleeding all over the place...hope that rug wasn't a genuine antique."

Joyce's heart jumped to her throat. "What?" she whispered and out of the corner of her eye, she saw the boys draw nearer.

"Would you like to say goodbye? Here I'll put you on speakerphone, oh be sure to say hi to my brother Axe...consequently that's mostly how she died, Axe's axe, I only stabbed her twice honest." Kat responded.

Joyce's inners turned to ice as her ears registered soft wailing, recognizable as her mother. A deep voice called out as if from across the room. "Nice to meet you Joy! C'mon Ramona, quit blubbering and tell your daughter you love her...I said TALK!" There was a loud scuffing noise, as if Axe had kicked something.

"Stop, get away from her you monster!" Joyce cried, tears sprouting along her eyelids.

Kat spoke again. "That's going to be a problem Joy, she has a lot of blood in her lungs, I don't think her voice will carry from where I'm standing...I'm just going to lean down, and put the phone above her mouth..."

The wailing grew louder, and Joyce's heart tore in two. "Joy." her mother panted.

"I-I'm here.." Joyce breathed.

"Joy...run..." her mother whimpered.

"Joy." Axe's voice again. "Are the Saints with you?"

"Wh-Who?" Joyce mumbled.

"I think you know who and I'll take that as a yes...if you'd be so kind as to put us on speakerphone, I'll end your mother's suffering, and trust me she is suffering." Axe said.

"You son of a bitch.." Joyce whispered as she unpasted the phone from her ear and her shaky thumb clicked the speakerphone button.

Kat's cold voice echoed against Joyce's bedroom walls. "Now isn't the time for name-calling Joy. I'm sure your mother agrees, right Ramona?" There was a hacking noise, and Ms. Piers cried out anew.

"You get away from 'er you sack of shit!" Murphy blurted.

Axe's voice piped. "Woo such disrespect! Sorry Ramona, I think I'm going have to take that other arm.."

"NO STOP...we're sorry." Connor hastily announced. "You got us on the phone, you meanin' to tell us somethin' or is this just part of your slayin'?"

The smile in Kat's voice was evident. "No it's not part of our slaying, though it may be now, it's kinda fun!" she mused.

Axe continued. "We just thought we'd tell you, Jet's done playing. No more nincompoops with guns. Katana and I, we take our craft seriously. We won't stop until you're all dead.."

"What's my mother got to do with this?" Joyce demanded.

"Nothing much." Kat replied. "She was just a means of luring the Saints out into the open.."

"Yeah, it was either her or you, she was closer...my sister and I hate to travel, Joy. It's a waste of cash..." Axe added.

"Although since the Saints came out of hiding to tend to their blue balls, your mother did kind of die for nothing." Katana mused. "Blame them though, not us."

"Sis, I don't ever want to hear the words "blue balls" come out of your mouth again." Axe warned.

"Shut up and cleave the bitch already will you? All her moaning is giving me a headache.." Kat responded.

"You scum are going to pay for this you hear me?!" Connor growled.

"We'll go out of the norm for you - we'll fucking flay you alive!" Murphy shouted.

There was silence, followed by a loud 'thrack!' sound that echoed through Joyce's soul.

"Did you hear that Joy?" asked Axe. "That was the sound of me decapitating your mother."

Joyce's tears flowed freely. "...I'LL FUCKING KILL YOU!" she screeched into the phone.

"You're welcome to try. Joy's boys, we'll see you soon.." Kat promised.

"Looking forward to it." Axe added before his voice was lost to the dial tone.

The brothers swore like true Irshman and thew a thing or two until they remembered where they were..then they tousled for not reminding each other that they were in Joyce's apartment. Finally they joined Joyce, sitting beside her rooted spot on the edge of the bed. She just sat there, staring at the phone. She had placed an anonymous call to the police already, soon they would arrive at her mother's home, come across the depravity that occurred within and call Joyce in to make a confirmation on the corpse. Joyce had seen enough crime films to know the low-down, something evidentially she and Connor had in common, much to the dismay of Murphy.

* * *

Joyce primarily held it together on the trip to the morgue, but the instant she walked inside, the tears came crashing out again. Murphy pulled Joyce into a hug while Connor spoke with the coroner. The coroner murmured his sympathy, as did the police who were respectfully lurking in a corner but their words fell on deaf ears. Clearing his throat, Connor said. "Let me handle this Joy, there's no need for you to..."

Joyce unburied her head from Murphy's tattooed neck. "No.." she murmured. "There's every need for me to..witness...what those bastards did..."

"Is there a limit to how many people can go in?" Murphy asked the coroner.

"Not at all, we have her set up in a viewing room." the coroner replied.

"..We're ready when you are luv." Connor said quietly. "No rush.."

Joyce slowly removed herself from Murphy's embrace, but not before he landed a kiss on her forehead and slid his hand into hers. Joyce forced a brave smile onto her features. "I'm ready.." she announced.

"You sure?" Connor pressed. Joyce nodded. Connor acknowledged this by wrapping his hand around her free one, and leading the way through a set of double doors.

Her thoughts sticky with grief, Joyce felt dread burying her with each step, but she held her head high. She had to appear strong, otherwise the brothers might change their minds about bringing her. At first, Joyce had agreed to join their crusade to appease her curiosity and perhaps rekindle age old friendships. Now however, Joyce was determined to get revenge.

"Slow down would ya?" Murphy complained to Connor. "No need to rush 'er."

"I'm not rushin' nothin'. This is my normal pace." Connor retorted, pushing the door to the viewing room open with his shoulder.

"Like hell it is." Murphy rebutted, his palm grazing the side of Joyce's hip as he followed in after her.

Standing close, the twins tightened their grip on Joyce's hands as she faced the gurney in the adjourning room. Joyce nodded at the coroner, who lifted the sheet revealing what remained of Ramona Piers. The coroner had done his best to position Ramona's head as if it were still attached to her body, but even so, Joyce's eyes became glued to the gash on Ramona's neck.

Connor gestured at the coroner, who replaced the sheet, just as Joyce crumbled to her knees sobbing. Keeping her hand in his, Murphy knelt down beside Joyce, beckoning her into a hug. Connor hunched slightly, bringing Joyce's other hand to his lips. Her hand was still pressed to his mouth, when Connor spotted two intruders niched beside the door.

One was a man, roughly forty, built like a quarterback, with peppered hair and a wide mouth. The other was a woman, mid-thirties, average build, her curvy red hair cut short. Each intruder had a weapon - he bore a hand-sized axe resting against his shoulder, and she held a katana against her knees.

"My God," Katana breathed. "One crying girl was all it took to make you drop your guard?"

"Mega disappointing guys." Axe said with a shake of his head.

What happened next, happened rapidly.

By the time Connor had grabbed his gun, Axe had thrown his weapon into Connor's thigh. By the time Murphy had stood straight with his weapon drawn, Katana had sliced his stomach. Katana headbutted Murphy and slammed him against the wall. Axe advanced upon Connor, choking him with one hand while yanking his weapon free with the other.

Numbed by shock, Joyce attempted to retrieve Connor's gun, only to have Katana kick her in the jaw. When Murphy attempted to stand, Axe tossed Connor into him, and the two MacManus men coiled onto the floor. Before Joyce had fully recovered, Katana had dug her fingernails into Joyce's scalp, and placed her weapon against Joyce's throat.

"Listen closely, okay, because I am not going to repeat myself." Katana began, her gaze embedded on the gun-wielding twins. "That little dipshit coroner, has probably found the dead cops and has called in more. We could kill you, but in all honesty, we're getting paid just for the effort so...we're going to drag this out a bit..."

"We'll call things a draw, for now." Axe piped. "You're welcome!" he added brightly, with a guffaw.

Moving towards the door, Katana dragged Joyce along by the hair, her sword still hovering against Joyce's collarbone. "Real sorry about your mommy, baby girl..." she cooed into Joyce's hair.

"FUCK. YOU." Joyce replied, her gaze misty from tears.

Katana giggled, a sickly sweet noise coated with veracity of indifference. Katana pushed Joyce forward, and pulled her sword away in the same instance - Katana's blade seared into Joyce's right shoulder and grazed down the midst of her back. Murphy and Connor fired their guns, their bullets harmlessly pinging into the door as Katana fled after Axe.

* * *

The mysterious crime boss known only as 'Jet', was best known for his trafficing rings of both drugs and women. Jet spoke only to one person, his or her second-in-command, Carmen J. Nullah, a man in his late thirties with crisp black hair cut close to his neck. His face was slightly scarred, his eyes were ocean-blue.

Ronald Smith was Nullah's privileged bodyguard. At 6'3, Ron was abtly nicknamed 'Solid' by Nullah, due to his bulging muscles and stone-cold face which seemed to be carved into a permanent scowl. His rigid frame was clothed in navy blue, hazel eyes squinting as he held a hand out to halt Axe &amp; Katana as they approached. "Let us past, we have news for Nullah alright Solid?" Axe greeted shortly. Ron nodded over his shoulder slightly, signaling for them to go ahead. "Thank, you." Axe said curtly as they passed through the doorway.  
A glossy oak table took up the middle of the room, stretching from where they stood to where Nullah was with his back to them, the sunlight shining off his pinstriped suit. "Well?" he asked, studying an medieval painting that took up the back wall. It showed a warzone of spears and pistols, countless soliders showcasing gruesome deaths of exploding heads and gutted stomachs. In the heart of the scene was an Indian chief on horseback rushing towards an American captain on foot- Christopher Columbus.  
"Well, the MacManus maggots got away from us." Kat announced flapping her arms sheepishly.  
Eyes narrowing, Nullah slowly turned, his gaze sliding from the painting to the assassins. "Did they?" he responded coyly, watching Axe unwrap their bloodied weapons, which had been safely bound in soft leather.  
"Yup." Axe agreed, pretending to surpress a sigh as he slid the evidence closer to Nullah.  
Nullah's smile was outlined in mockery, as he walked towards them. He remained silent until he was only a foot away. "You think I dont know what you're doing?" he asked soberly, the fake smile fading from his face.  
"What are we doing?" Katana pressed as Nullah picked up Axe's axe.  
"Trying to bleed me of money." Nullah said turning the blade to make the blood glisten. "Quite a bit of blood here, you clearly did more than swipe at them." Nullah peered at them sideways. "You let them go, didn't you?"

Axe snorted in a disgruntled way. "You set the rulings on cash Null, not us."

"I did, and you'll get your cash sum...but next time I see your ugly mugs, I expect bodies..." Nullah said, his voice dangerously low. "If not, Jet will become quite upset."

Katana spoke up. "Well, we could've given you two bodies - the slut of the Saints and her upped-y mother...would that have pleased Jet?"

"The slut of the Saints?" Nullah repeated blankly.

"Yeah...Piers something...Janice? Jenny?" Axe struggled to remember. .".No Joyce...Joyce Piers. Mother was named Ramona..."

Nullah's eyes flashed closed in a grimace. "You killed them?" he asked.

"Just the mother." Axe said with a nonchalant shrug.

"And why, the fuck, DID YOU DO THAT?!" Nullah said, his words slow and soft before transforming into a shout. "What murdering those punks wasnt exciting enough? They live for killing people like you two freaks, yet you had to piss them off, make 'em hungry for blood?!" he continued, raising his voice further.

"It was the only way to track them down." Katana argued.

"Bullshit Kathy." Nullah retorted, banishing the axe toward her face. "But lucky for you, now that you've done what you've done, I know precisely where they'll run to lay low.."

"Where's that?" Axe asked with an air of aloofness.

"Their mother lives in Ireland, go pay her a visit - don't make that fucking face Axton, I don't want to hear about your 'traveling expenses' pet peeves. You know that little 'proof of assassination attempt' bonus you were both so eager to get? Use it to buy the goddamn tickets."

Nullah slammed the axe into the leather casing, then stormed into his office, leaving the two assassins behind to sulk.

"Can you believe that guy? Threatening us with our own weapons..." Axton complained, un-wedging his axe with little effort. then sliding it back into the folds of the leather.

"Fucking. Ireland." Kathy mumbled crossly.

* * *

A/N: Yes I'm aware the assassins seem Tarantino-esque, but considering Quentin is the closest thing I have to a role model, it was only natural. They are not the only trouble that the brothers must deal with, however.

OC baddie cast thus far (if needed):

Axe/Axton - Eric Roberts; Katana/Kathy - Julia Roberts; Carmen Nullah - Jeffrey Donovan; Ron 'Solid' Smith - Adam Baldwin

Also, for your viewing pleasure, if you go to youtube and type in Unholy Trinity Boondock Saints you'll discover the vidlet my friend created for me when I originally wrote this story four years ago. I'm still very much in love with it, just like this story, which is why I'm giving it a revamp. ;D


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